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The influence of nutrient solution p H on growth and yield of strawberry plants

grown in aeroponic system

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J. Bangladesh Soc. Agric. Sci. Technol., 16(1- 4):23-28, 2019 ISSN 1811-6221

The influence of nutrient solution pH on growth and yield of strawberry plants grown in aeroponic
system

M. R. Akon

Abstract
The strawberry plants were cultivated in aeroponic system with Cooper’s nutrient solution with pH of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0,
6.0 and 7.0. The results revealed that number of leaves increased with the increase in p H from 3.0 to 6.0, but then
started to decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0. Leaf area and plant height decreased with the increase in p H.
The less number of days required for fruit setting and fruit harvesting was observed from p H 3.0 and highest from pH
6.0. All the yield and quality related characteristics of strawberry were increased with the increase of p H levels from
3.0 to 6.0 and was highest in pH 6.0, but then started to decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0. According to
the results, pH 6.0 was evaluated as optimum for aeroponic cultivation of strawberry, which resulted in better quality
fruits.
Key words: Aeroponics, pH, Growth and yield, Strawberry
Introduction
Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) belongs to the family Rosaceae is a perennial plant which sprouts in every year
(Taylor, 2002). It is an important high-value horticultural crop and one of the most delicious fruits in the world. It is
widely appreciated for its bright red color, juicy texture, sweetness, a higher percentage of phenolics, flavonoids,
aroma and vitamin contents (Hakkinen & Torronen, 2000).

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate
medium. The basic principle of aeroponic growing is to grow plants suspended in a closed or semi-closed
environment by spraying the plant’s dangling roots and lower stem with an atomized or sprayed, nutrient-rich water
solution (Mithunesh et al., 2015). Aeroponics, a method for growing crops in nutrient solutions instead of mineral
soils, has been increasingly practiced in horticultural production due to its high water, nutrient, and labor efficiencies
(Rius-Ruiz et al., 2014; Aftab et al., 2015).

The pH of aeroponic solution is a major factor affecting nutrient availability and plant uptake (Spinu et al., 1997).
The existing forms (speciation) and subsequently the phytoavailability of a nutrient element in the solution are
greatly influenced by solution pH. For example, increasing pH to above 7.3 would change the predominant form of P
in solution from H2PO4- to HPO42-. In an alkaline solution, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, and other polyvalent cations
would form precipitates with OH- and CO32- and become unavailable to plants. In strongly acidic solutions, H+
competes with other mineral nutrients for plant absorption (Brady and Weil, 2007), to ensure the best availability of
essential nutrients to aeroponic plants, the pH of a nutrient solution should be maintained in a narrow range usually
between 5.5 and 6.5 (Webb, 1993). Nevertheless, the pH of a nutrient solution may change during aeroponic
production owing to selective absorption of soluble ionic nutrients by plants (Kim et al., 2005). To absorb cation and
anion nutrients, plant roots release H+ and HCO3-, respectively, into the solution for exchange, causing shifting of
the solution pH over time (Brady and Weil, 2007). The aim of this work was to evaluate variables of phenology;
yield and fruit quality of strawberry as affected by different p H levels of the nutrient solution cultivated in the
aeroponic system.
Materials and Methods
The experiment was carried out in the Germplasm Center and laboratories of the Department of Horticulture,
Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali from October 2017 to April 2018. The maximum daily
temperatures at the site vary from 25 0C to 26 0C, while the minimum range from 15 0C to 20 0C. The single factor
experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The treatments of the experiment
were five levels of pH of the nutrient solution (P1=3.0, P2=4.0, P3=5.0, P4=6.0 and P5=7.0).

The experiment was carried out in a glass house. The aeroponics units were built in plastic pots (0.5 m wide, 0.5 m
high, and 1 m long). Six plants were planted in each pot at 20 × 20 cm2 spacing. The aeroponic system used had
three beds with 0.25 m³ air volumes and an area of 0.5 m² each. The nutrient solution was prepared in one tank with
24 Nnutrient solution pH on growth and yield of strawberry plants
100 liters for every bed. In every bed, there were 6 nozzles (AEROJSUMAX-6SS, Spraying Systems, Shanghai Co.,
Shanghai, China) placed horizontally at the end and middle of the pots with a capacity of 2 liters per hour. The
sprayers were working from 7:00 am till 7:00 pm. for 25 seconds at 5 minutes interval. The amount of water supply
was on average 1.4 l/m² per day. Plantlets of the strawberry cultivar (Festival) had been collected from the tissue
culture laboratory of BRAC nursery and transplanted to the aeroponics culture system. Plants were supplied with
full strength Cooper’s (1979) nutrient solution. The Cooper solution consisted of the nutrients concentration of 200,
60, 300, 170, 50, 68, 1, 0.1, 0.1, 2, 0.3, and 0.2 mg L-l of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, B, and Mo,
respectively (Asao, 2012). Fifteen aeroponic units were used for the experiment. In the experiment, the influence of
different pH levels of nutrient solution (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0) on growth, yield and quality of strawberry was
tested. The whole system was controlled by the electronic timer. p H levels of the nutrient solution were maintained
throughout the experimental period using portable pH/Temperature Meter - HI991001 (Hanna, Japan). The pH of the
nutrient solution was maintained by adding H3PO3 and NaOH. Lower pH levels were maintained using phosphoric
acid (HPO4) into the nutrient solution and higher pH levels were maintained using sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
The number of leaves per plant was recorded by counting all the leaves from each plant and the mean was calculated
at 60 days after transplanting (DAT). After 40 days of transplanting newly emerged, runners were removed for
better yield and quality fruits and maintained throughout the experiment. Plant height of each plant was measured in
centimeter (cm) by using a meter scale. Fruit setting and harvesting were counted by visual observation from the
date of strawberry plantlets transplanting. Individual fruit weight was obtained by measuring the average weight of
fruit. Total fruit weight of each plot was obtained by summation of the weight of the total marketable fruits. Fruit
weight was measured by Electronic Precision Balance (Ek 600i) in gram. Fruit length and diameter were measured
using Digital Caliper-515 (DC-515) in millimeter (mm). Brix percentage was measured by portable Refractometer
(ERMA, Japan). Every single fruit was blend and juice was collected to measure Brix percentage. Brix percentage
of fruits was measured at room temperature. All results were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
using Minitab statistical software version 17 (Minitab Inc., State College, PA, USA); and the means were separated
using Tukey at p = 0.01.
Results
The supply of different pH levels of nutrient solution affected the production of leaves per plant (Table1) and the
effect was statistically different, hence the number of leaves produced by the plant were significant (p<0.01). The
plants grown in pH 6.0 produced the highest number of leaves (31.67) but it was statistically similar to P2, P3 and P5
and P1 gave the lowest number of leaves (22.67).

Table 1. Influence of pH on different growth related attributes of strawberry

Treatments Number of leaves Leaf area (cm2) Plant height (cm)
b
P1 22.67 62.33 a 20.40 a
a b
P2 29.67 53.67 19.17 ab
a cd
P3 30.33 41.67 19.10 ab
a c
P4 31.67 43.33 18.17 ab
P5 26.00 ab 35.33 d 17.17 b
Level of Sig. ** ** **
P1, pH 3.0; P2, pH 4.0; P3, pH 5.0; P4, pH 6.0 and P5, pH 7.0; In the column, values having a similar letter (s) are statistically
identical and those having the dissimilar letter (s) differ significantly at 1% level of probability analyzed by Tukey. ** =
Significant at 1% level of probability
Influence of pH on crop duration related attributes of strawberry
 Akon 25

The leaf area (cm2) was statistically affected by the application of different pH treatments (p<0.01) (Table1).
The plants that were grown in P1 gave the highest leaf area (62.33) and it was statistically different and
superior over to that of P2, P3, P4 and P5, whereas the lowest (35.33 cm 2) was observed from P5. There was a
gradual decrease in leaf areas with the increase in pH levels.

The pH levels had a significant effect on the plant height (p=0.002) (Table 1). The plants that were grown in P1 gave
the highest plant height (20.40 cm) and the lowest (17.17 cm) was found at P5. There was a gradual decrease in
plant height with the increase of pH levels from 3.0 to 6.0 and was highest in 6.0, but then started to decrease with
further increase in pH up to 7.0. The application of different pH treatment significantly affected days to fruit setting
(p< 0.01) (Figure 1). The plants grown with pH treatment P1 (3.0) showed early fruiting (66.67 days) which was
statistically similar to P2 and P3 and delayed in P4 (86.67 days). There was a gradual increase in the number of days
required for fruit setting of strawberry with the increase of pH levels from 3.0 to 6.0 and was highest in pH 6.0, but
then started to decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0.

Influence of pH on performance of strawberry related to yield

Figure 5. Strawberry fruits produced at different pH

levels in aeroponic cultivation system

Table 2. Influence of pH on performance of strawberry related to quality attributes

Treatments Fruit Length (mm) Fruit Diameter (mm) Brix %
P1 24.33 c 21.50 ab 5.43 b
P2 26.83 b 21.00 ab 6.00 b
b ab
P3 28.03 23.13 6.57 ab
a a
P4 35.97 24.43 7.40 a
b b
P5 27.17 20.00 5.83 b
Level of Sig. ** ** **
P1, pH 3.0; P2, pH 4.0; P3, pH 5.0; P4, pH 6.0 and P5, pH 7.0; In the column, values having a similar letter (s) are
statistically identical and those having the dissimilar letter (s) differ significantly at 1% level of probability analyzed
by Tukey. ** = Significant at 1% level of probability
26 Nutrient solution pH on growth and yield of strawberry plants

The provision of the uneven supply of the different pH of the nutrient solution significantly affected the fruit
harvesting time (p< 0.01) (Figure 2). The plants that were grown in P1 had attended early harvesting of fruits (76
days) and delayed (96 days) in P4. Plants grown in P2 and P5 treatment showed statistically similar result. A gradual
increase in the number of days required for fruit harvesting of strawberry was observed with the increase of pH
levels from 3.0 to 6.0 and was highest in pH 6.0, but then started to decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0.

The supply of different pH level significantly affected the individual fruit weight of strawberry (p<0.01). Plants that
were grown with the pH treatment P4 had the highest (14.13 g) fruit weight. The decrease in the p H level reduced the
fruit weight per plant, but fruit yield was statistically similar P1 and P2. The lowest (9.27 g) total fruit yield was
found in pH treatment P1 (Figure 3). Individual fruit weight was increased with the increase of p H levels from 3.0 to
6.0 and was highest in pH 6.0, but then started to decrease with further increase in p H up to 7.0. The provision of
uneven pH levels affected the total fruit weight of strawberries in the absolute terms and results were statistically
significant (p<0.01). The different levels of pH affected fruit weight and it was highest (215.87 g) in P4 and lowest in
P1 (108.70 g). Total fruit weight was gradually decreased with the decrease in pH level (Figure 4). It was observed
from figure 4 that total fruit weight was increased with the increase of pH levels from 3.0 to 6.0 and was highest in
pH 6.0, but then started to decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0.

The fruit length of strawberry was affected by the application of different pH treatments (Table 2). The statistical test
of the fruit length showed a significant effect by different pH levels of the nutrient solution (p<0.01). The pH level
6.0 (P4) gave statistically highest (35.7 mm) length of fruit. It was followed by the pH level P2, P3, P5 and P1. The
effects of pH level 4.0, 5.0 and 7.0 on fruit length were statistically similar. The lowest length of the fruit was
observed in P1 (24.33 mm). The provision of the uneven supply of the different pH levels of the nutrient solution
significantly affected the fruit diameter (p=0.004) (Table 2). The plants that were grown in p H 6.0 had shown the
highest (24.43 mm) fruit diameter and the lowest (20.00 mm) were observed in p H 7.0. The effect of pH level P1, P2
and P3 on fruit diameter was statistically similar.

Brix percentage was affected by the application of different pH treatments (Table 2). The statistical test showed a
significant effect by different pH levels of nutrient solution (p<0.01) on brix percentage. Maximum (7.40) brix
percentage was found in P4 treated strawberry plants while minimum (5.43) was found in P1. The effect of p H level
P1, P2 and P5 on Brix percentage was statistically similar.

Discussion
H
The different p levels of the nutrient solution have shown a significant effect on various vegetative and growth
characteristics of the strawberry plants. It was observed that the plants grown with various p H levels differed in the
production of biomass and the result was significant. Most of the vegetative parameters mentioned above had shown
significance over the higher pH. The highest number of leaves was observed in pH 6.0. Overall plant growth related
characteristics viz, leaf area and plant height was decreased with the increase of pH and lower solubility of nutrients
would have cause such decrease. The pH value of nutrient solution is an important factor affecting the nutrient
availability and plant uptake in soilless culture (Wan et al., 1994; Roosta, 2011). The optimal pH of nutrient solution
for hydroponic plant growth is in the range of 5.5–6.5. The pH of the nutrient solution, however, changes with the
course of hydroponic growth primarily as a result of plant selective absorption of nutrient ions. Numerous studies
have indicated that the growth of many plants is inhibited in soil and soilless conditions with a high p H level (Bertoni
et al., 1992; Zribi and Gharsalli, 2002; Roosta, 2011; Roosta and Rezaei, 2014).

High pH decreases leaf area, leaf number, shoot dry weight, leaf length and width, as well as photosynthesis and
stomatal conductance of lettuce (Whipker et al., 1996). The best pH range for P uptake is 6–7 (Shekofteh, 2009).
Higher pH resulted in lower solubility of nutrients and lower mobility of most nutrients, especially micronutrients to
plants, which resulted in the display of deficiency symptoms. For example, the solubility of such elements as Fe,
Mn, Cu, and Zn reduces at higher pH. The pH of leaf apoplast is an important factor in controlling the availability of
elements like Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in leaves. Bicarbonate plays an important role in changing the p H of leaf apoplast,
too (Alcantara et al., 2000). In a study on lettuce, the concentration of nutrients in shoots was higher at lower p H than
at higher pH and considerably more nutrients were accumulated in roots as pH was increased; however, the growth of
shoots was seriously injured by alkalinity (Roosta, 2011). The increase in p H led to the decrease in leaf area, stem
 Akon 27

dry weight and leaf length and width, but root dry weight and leaf number were not affected. The growth of the bean
plants was seriously stunted under higher pH and the leaves were affected by this change more than the roots
(Valdez-Aguilar and Reed, 2008).

There was a significant effect of different pH levels on yield related attributes and quality of strawberry. The highest
individual weight and total weight of strawberry fruit was obtained from pH (6.0). There was a gradual increase in
individual weight and total weight of strawberry fruit from pH 3.0 to 6.0, but decrease with further increase in pH up
to 7.0. All the quality of strawberry fruit was significantly affected by different levels of pH. The best quality fruit
was observed in pH (6.0). There was a gradual increase in fruit length, fruit diameter and brix percentage of
strawberry fruit from pH 3.0 to 6.0, but decrease with further increase in pH up to 7.0. Alkalinity influences the
growth yield of the plants by reducing nutrients availability due to the increase in solution p H, which is caused by the
increase in the concentrations of bicarbonate and carbonate ions (Roosta, 2011). Pearce et al. (1999) found that
higher bicarbonate concentration resulted in lower P, K and Zn concentration in shoots of tobacco but the
concentrations of Mg and Ca did not change. Also, Bialczyk et al. (1994) reported that the increase in p H brought
about an increase in the concentrations of K and Ca in the shoots of tomato.

Iron, copper, zinc, boron, and manganese, become unavailable at p H higher than 6.5 (Timmons et al., 2002; Tyson,
2007). In Triticum aestivum, the manganese precipitation on root surfaces was correlated with a plant-induced rise in
pH of culture above 5.5 (Macfie & Taylor, 1989). Boron is mainly uptaken by plants as boric acid, which is not
dissociated until pH is close to 7; to greater pH values, boric acid accepts hydroxide ions to form anionic species
(Tariq & Mott, 2007). Therefore, nutrient availability for plant uptake at pH above 7 may be restricted due to
precipitation of Fe2+, Mn2+, PO3−4, Ca2+ and Mg2+ to insoluble and unavailable salts (Resh, 2004). The proper p H
values of nutrient solution for the development of crops, lies between 5.5 and 6.5.

Conclusion
Based on the findings of the present investigation it can be concluded that among the five pH levels studied for
strawberry production using aeroponic system, the pH level 6.0 was better than pH level of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 7.0 for
most of the growth and yield contributing parameters. The plant response for the characters viz. number of leaves,
leaf area and plant height were significantly affected by different pH levels. The pH level of 3.0 significantly induced
best growth contributing characteristics. The pH level of 6.0 significantly induced best yield contributing
characteristics of individual fruit weight, total fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter and brix percentage over p H
level of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 7.0. It is concluded that in aeroponic cultivation of strawberry it is better to keep the p H of
the nutrient solution 6.0.

Acknowledgement

The Author would like to acknowledge Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Research and
Training Center and Department of Horticulture, PSTU for financial support and providing all the facilities during
the study period.

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